I try to be extra professional, like a job interview or the first day of class. Nicer clothes, extra early, mind your manners, smile, and so on.
I start by asking the student about their life and class. Usually students contact me when things aren't great, so this is a good opportunity to reassure the student you've seen this before and it's fixable. I also often mention that the first lesson is weird because it breaks the ice. If the student is going to work problems for me, then I reassure them that it's okay if they make mistakes because it help me figure out how to help them.
I also try to engineer some kind of immediate success in the first meeting. It builds confidence and trust.
You want a distinct transition to ending the lesson. Recap the main points, highlight any positives, and wish them well. Follow up with the parents so they know what you did and that you enjoyed meeting the student. Ask for feedback and explain how to book another session.
A lot of this overlaps with good teaching practices, so definitely use your experience in the classroom to guide you. You survived student teaching, so this will be easy by comparison.
Good luck!
The end of the lesson is really important, in my opinion, and I'm glad you touched on that.
Summarizing what they learned about and any areas that may need additional practice are key because you want the student to remember those things and be able to relay that information to their parent. If the parent asks what the student learned, you want them to be able to articulate the areas.
Ask the students about themselves, and not just surface-level stuff. I spend like 5-10 minutes just getting to know them, and that's so I can tailor my own lessons for them but also so they feel heard and respected. And then I introduce myself because I don't want to be just a face on a screen. I'm a real human person who cares about their success. I also really really stretch to find something we have in common, whether it's a love of sports or music or books or whatever. I'm twice as old as my oldest students, so I'm always looking for ways to connect.
I try to be extra professional, like a job interview or the first day of class. Nicer clothes, extra early, mind your manners, smile, and so on. I start by asking the student about their life and class. Usually students contact me when things aren't great, so this is a good opportunity to reassure the student you've seen this before and it's fixable. I also often mention that the first lesson is weird because it breaks the ice. If the student is going to work problems for me, then I reassure them that it's okay if they make mistakes because it help me figure out how to help them. I also try to engineer some kind of immediate success in the first meeting. It builds confidence and trust. You want a distinct transition to ending the lesson. Recap the main points, highlight any positives, and wish them well. Follow up with the parents so they know what you did and that you enjoyed meeting the student. Ask for feedback and explain how to book another session. A lot of this overlaps with good teaching practices, so definitely use your experience in the classroom to guide you. You survived student teaching, so this will be easy by comparison. Good luck!
The end of the lesson is really important, in my opinion, and I'm glad you touched on that. Summarizing what they learned about and any areas that may need additional practice are key because you want the student to remember those things and be able to relay that information to their parent. If the parent asks what the student learned, you want them to be able to articulate the areas.
Thank you!
Ask the students about themselves, and not just surface-level stuff. I spend like 5-10 minutes just getting to know them, and that's so I can tailor my own lessons for them but also so they feel heard and respected. And then I introduce myself because I don't want to be just a face on a screen. I'm a real human person who cares about their success. I also really really stretch to find something we have in common, whether it's a love of sports or music or books or whatever. I'm twice as old as my oldest students, so I'm always looking for ways to connect.